In Lieu of A Monthly Wrap Up

Over the last few months I have come to realize our home is not just a haven for us, but a haven to many.  I am pleased that our home is full of love, and that all creatures feel comfortable here.  There are moments when I am enjoying a cup of hot coffee and I look around to find cats are meowing happily, kids playing and singing with joy, and... okay, lets be real - it is a complete fantasy.

However, our home seems to be the place everyone and everything wants to be.  Not a day goes by when I haven't bandaged up a child's boo-boo, placed an ice pack on a bump, settled a dispute, chased a ball across our busy street, chased a dog around the backyard to give back a toy, made an extra pb and j for a hungry mouth, said, "no," to a child begging for another sweet.  But sometimes this joyful chaos feels like my mantra should be:

And there are times I think, "God, why on Earth did I commit to homeschooling my children and continuing with my teaching business?"  And then I hear a giggle, a "thank you, Mommy" or "thank you Miss Michelle," and I think, "Yes, I can do this...I can provide the loving environment that my girls and other children (and critters) need."

I find balance in the chaos by reassuring moments that remind me why I wanted to be a teacher and mother. Those moments are not always there - believe me I'm not perfect nor are my children - but they are the essential ingredients in my life as a Mother and Teacher.